Scattergories®
Scattergories is a creative-thinking category-based game produced by Hasbro through the Milton Bradley Company and published in 1988. The objective of the game is to score points by uniquely naming objects within a set of categories, given an initial letter, within a time limit. This works best with teams of two. This activity is better suited to upper level class that have a more developed vocabulary.
The objective is to write one word/expression per category that no other team has written.
How to Play
1. Give each team a category list. The commercial game has 12 per list, I like to use 9-10 to speed things up a little. To save paper/copying costs, you could enlarge the font and put categories on an overhead transparency.
2. To start the game, you need to pick a letter from the target language alphabet.
All answers for this round will start with this letter.
3. Set the timer at 3-4minutes. (You can change the amount of time depending
on the level of your group.)
4. All teams quickly fill in their answer sheets. Answers
must fit the category and begin with the letter picked from the bag.
5. When the timer stops, teams stop writing.
6. Scoring: Have the teams read their answers aloud for number
1. Teams correct their own answer sheets by putting a circle around an
answer that DOES NOT match any other teams’ answer. Continue reading
answers until all categories have been scored. Then, score 1 point for
each of your circled answers. Put your score at the top of of your answer sheet.
7. Starting a New Round: Set the timer, pick a new letter and give out
Question Sheet List #2.
8. Winning the Game: After all rounds have been played, all players/teams
total the scores to see who has the most points.
Example Categories
1. names of boys in Spanish (French, German, etc.)
2. forms of transportation
3. things associated with winter
4. things found in a park
5. names of famous Spaniards (Frenchmen, Germans, etc.)
6. things found in the classroom
7. fruits or vegetables
8. things that are blue
9. emotions
10. things associated with technology
Here are some categories that can be used - use your imagination to create others for your students.
Things and places associated with South America (or whatever place)
Things found in a grocery store, hardware store, hospital or place of your choice
Things people pay a lot of money for
Things that make me itch.
Things associated with fire.
Things that require money.
Things that smell bad.
Things that are very difficult to accomplish
Things that are very boring
Names of boys/girls common to the target language
Relatives / family members
Things that grow
Things that are square
1. a Spanish-speaking (French, German) city
2. a flavor of ice cream
3. a famous politician or world leader
4. things used in pairs
5. something for school
6. a job around the house
7. something that is blue
8. a fruit
9. a gift
10. something used in the kitchen
11. something for traveling
12. a color
13. a school subject
14. something cold
15. something you wear
16. a capital
17. a sport
18. something to eat
19. something red
20. a plant
21. a body of water
22. a beverage
23. something that grows
24. a food
25. something triangular
26. an excuse for arriving late
27. a language
28. a famous woman
29. something found in a garage
30. a quiet activity
31. something to read
32. something made of metal
33. a personality characteristic
34. something hot
35. a form of transportation
36. an article of clothing
37. a place for a vacation
38. a piece of furniture
39. something you are afraid of
40. something circular
41. a TV star
42. something you shout
43. an occupation
44. something made of plastic
45. a part of the body
46. a toy or game
47. a boy’s name
48. something in this room
49. a hobby
50. a crime
51. something found in a park
52. something yellow
53. something made of wood
54. a musical instrument
55. something with a tail
56. something with stripes
57. a vegetable
58. something in need of repair
59. a person who wears a uniform
60. an animal
61. something made of paper
62. a girl’s name
63. something associated with money
64. a bad habit
65. something you hide
66. a famous Hispanic (Frenchman, German)
67. something that is white
68. something found at the beach
69. something found on a map
70. something with numbers
